Big Data in Biomedicine 2015

An annual three-day conference at Stanford University School of Medicine bringing together thought leaders in health care, biomedical research, government, industry and large-scale data analysis to transform the way we diagnose, treat and prevent disease.

A key message from Stanford's annual big data conference was that realizing the potential of precision health means sharing massive amounts of medical and behavioral data. Aggregating large quantities of health data could revolutionize physicians' ability to diagnose and treat diseases, but getting patients and organizations to share that data poses a challenge, according to speakers at Stanford's third annual Big Data in Biomedicine Conference.

Stanford's annual Big Data in Biomedicine began this morning with a "breathtaking set of talks," as described by Russ Altman, MD, PhD, a Stanford professor of bioengineering, genetics and of medicine. The first panel focused on genomics, with the speakers presenting a dizzying forecast of a future where biomedical data is standardized and easily accessible to researchers, yet carefully guarded to protect privacy.

The explosion of big data is transforming the way those in health care are diagnosing, treating and preventing disease, panelists at the Big Data in Biomedicine said on its opening day. During a five-member panel on population health, experts outlined work that is currently being done but said even bigger datasets and better technology are needed to ramp up the benefits from digital data and to save lives.